Operating handle for doors, windows, and the like



June 2o, 1939-. R. w. NEWTON OPERATING HANDLE FOR DOORS. WINDOWS, AND THE LIKE s sheets-sheet@ Filed Nov. 24, 1937 June 20, 1939. R w, NEWTON 2,163,101

OPERATING HANDLE FOR DOORS, WINDOWS, AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 24, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 WINDOWS AND THE LIKE June 20, 1939.

R.l w. NEWTON OPERATING HANDLE FOR DOORS.

Filed Nov. 24, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 20, 1939 PATENT OFFICE OPERATING HANDLE FOR DOORS, WIN- DOWS, AND THE LIKE Roy William Newton, Collingwood, Victoria, Australia Application November 24, 1937, Serial No. 176,360 In Australia July 20, 1937 16 claims. (o1. asa-34s) This invention relates to operating handles that are, in general, applicable to doors and the like of many kinds, but which are especially applicable y for operating the control mechanism of doors,

windows, windscreens, ventilation regulators and various kinds of interior hardware of vehicles which latter term is intended to include aircraft.

A general trend in the design of automobile passenger bodies of recent years has been to Widen the bodies and to displace footboards or to reduce their width. Consequently, door handles projecting outwardly from the vehicles constitute a source of danger to pedestrians and others in the event of collisions or accidents. In fact, projecting door handles have often resulted in pedestrians receiving injuries that would otherwise have been avoided, or have been less serious. More recently such dangers have been relieved to a considerable extent by the employment of ushtting or disappearing door handles at the outsides of automobiles.

Similar considerations do not, however, appear to have 'been given to the protection of the occupants of automobiles since recent statistical records disclose that in a relatively high proportion of automobile accidents, serious injuries have been received by passengers solely through being thrown against, or struck by, projecting portions of door, window or other handles that are located within the vehicle. Furthermore there is always a possibility that the clothes of passengers, particularly relatively thin or delicate dresses of lady passengers, may be caught up by the projecting portions of such interior handles and thus suffer serious damage.

One of the objects of the present invention is to minimize the risks, both to passengers themselves and to their clothes, at present attendant upon the internal operating handles of automobile bodies. This is achieved primarily by providing handles which are devoid of objectionable projections and which extend as close as is conveniently possible to the trim or inner surface of the vehicle interior.

In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide a handle of the character described and in which a base at the inner end of the handle having means for operatively connecting the handle to the door, window, ventilator or other control mechanism, is devoid of any objectionable projection, but is, on the contrary, substantially flat-and adapted to lie approximately ilush or contiguous with the trim or adjacent surface of the body.

Another object of the invention is to provide vehicles a handle that is adapted t be operatively connected to door, window, ventilator or like control mechanism with the utmost ease and rapidity in order that assembly may be accelerated and incidental labour costs reduced.

Another object is to provide a door or like handle that may be connected to its control mechanism without the necessity of any escutcheon plate or other extraneous parts such as are required with existing handles. l0

Other objects of the invention are to provide a door or like handle adapted for connection to its control mechanism in such manner that the connecting means is concealed from view; to provide a door or like handle which is capable of being connected to its control mechanism with the handle, when in its normal or zero position, extending at practically any desired angle; to provide a door or like handle adapted vfor connection to its control mechanism by a self-locking device that is independent of any screws, pins or-other manually operable fasteners.

`'I'he above and other objects and the advantages` arising therefrom will, however, be more readily appreciated from the following description and accompanying drawings which relate by way of example to certain practical embodiments of the invention particularly-suitable for application to the window regulators and doors of In the drawings- Figure 1 is a sectional view showing an operating handle according to the invention applied to mechanism for raising and lowering vertically slidable window panels of a vehicle.

Figure 2 is a cross section on lie II-II of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross section on line III-III of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the handle.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a socket member of the window control mechanism of Figure 1 with which a boss on the handle co-operates.

Figure 6 is an end elevation of the handle showing a locking device and a release therefor.

Figure 7 is a detail of a part of an automatic locking device embodied in the handle.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal section of a known form of mechanism, modived according to the invention, for raising and lowering vertically slid- Y able window panels of a vehicle.

Figure 9 is a cross section on line IX--IX of Figure 8.

Figure 1 0 is an end View of Figure 8.

Figure 11 is an end viewv showing a handle 55 according to the invention applied todoor control mechanism of a vehicle.

Figure 12 is a longitudinal section of the parts seen in Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a sectional view showing a. handle according to the invention applied to the control mechanism of a swinging ventilator panel.

Figure 14 is a sectional view of the handle illustrating a modified form of device for automatically locking the handle to its control mechanism.-

Figure 15 is a cross section taken on line XV- xv or Figure 14,

Figure 16 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow in Figure 14.

Figure 1'7 is a view similar to Figure 14 but illustrating a modification.

Figure 18 is another view similar to Figure 14 but illustrating a further modication.

Figure 19 is a section taken on the line XIX- XIX of Figure 18. i

Figure 20 is a sectional view similar to Figure l but illustrating another alternative means for connecting the handle'to its control mechanism.

Throughout the following description and the accompanying drawings like numerals are employed to indicate like parts.

The improved operating handle comprises a handle arm 2, the shape and size of which may vary according to the particular purpose of the handle, but which terminates at its inner end in a substantially fiat base 3, preferably of shallow disc-like form. When the handle is in operative position, as seen in Figures 1, 12, 13 and 20, the

base 3 will lie substantially flush with the trim 5 or adjacent surface of the vehicle bodvor other structure to which the handle is applied. It will also be noted that the exposed face 3a of the base 3 is devoid of any objectionable projections. A rib 4 may extend diametrically of. such inner face of the base in continuation of the handle arm, but this rib 4 is relatively shallow and obviously does not form an" objectionable projection.

Projecting sidewardly from the other face, hereinafter referred to as the outer face 3b, of the base, is a clutch or coupling member 6 adapted to engage and transmit rotary motion to a rotative element 1 of the control mechanism to be operated by the handle. For reasons that will be apparent hereinafter, the .clutch member is preferably in the form of a cylindrical boss of considerably less diameter than that of the base 3 vand having a series of relatively closely spaced shallow splines'or flutings 8 extending lengthwise of its outer surface, while the rotative mem.. ber 1 of the control mechanism is preferably in the form .of a socket, the borev of which is provided with splines or utings 9 complementary to those of the handle boss 8. It will, therefore, be evident that the handle may be operatively applied to the control mechanism by entering the splined boss lengthwise into the splined socket.

The inner end of the socket 1 is shown substantially flush with the adjacent inner surface of the vehicle body, and a packing li of cellular rubber or other suitable resilient material may surround' the socket member so that when the handle is placed in operative position, the packing may be compressed to enable the base of the handle to be depressed slightly into the vehicle body, thus bringing the exposed inner face 3a of the base substantially nush with the inner surface of the vehicle body as indicated in Figure 1. It will be evident that the handle base or disc l effectively covers and conceals the socket'I so that the usual escutcheon plate or ring members or passengers or their clothing.

The most suitable angular position for the handle may be tested with merely the outer end of `the splined boss projecting into the socket and, upon the best position being selected the boss may be pushed'completely home.

Various means may be adopted to lock the handle in operative position, and such means are preferably brought into action automatically upon pushing the splined boss 6 completely home into the splined socket 1. Thus according to Figures 1 to 7 inclusive and as seen more clearly in Figure 3 the boss is provided near its inner end, (i. e., adjacent the base 3) with a laterally extending slot I2 slidably accommodating a detent member such as a plate I3 that is forced outwardly by a spring Il disposed within a pocket I6 in the boss and bearing against a lug I1 outstanding from `the sliding plate, to thereby project one or more tongues I8 at the outer extremity of the locking plate into an annular groove I9 that is formed around the bore of the socket 1.

As seen more clearly in Figures 1, 4 and I the extremity of each locking tongue I8 may be curved or chamfered as at 2| while the inner end of the bore of socket 'I may also be chamfered as at 22 whereby in entering the boss lengthwise into the socket, the tongues I8 by engagement with the chamfer 22 of the socket cause the sliding plate to move inwardly against the influence of spring Il until the tongues come oppomte groove I9 in the socket whereupon the spring Il re-asserts itself and forces the tongues into groove I9.

The sliding plate I3 may have a reduced shank portion 23 that passes through a hole 24 in the boss 6 and is enlarged or riveted over in order to limit the amount of projection of the locking tongues I8.

In order to permit removal of the handle from the control mechanism, the boss i may be provided in its outer face 3b with a radially extending slot 26 into which lug I'I of the locking plate projects. Thus, by inserting a suitable member, such, for example, asa small rod or even a wooden match stick, into the slot the lug may be engaged and pushed inwardlyI to thereby retract the locking tongues IB from the groove I9 of socket 1, whereupon the handle may be withdrawn.

A locking arrangement as before described will be found beneficial from several aspects, including that it is automatic in action; is devoid of any extraneous fastening devices, such as screws; can be readily released when so desired and is eifectively concealed from lview by the handle base 3.

Various modified forms of locking devices which also produce the aforementioned advantages are illustrated in Figures 14 to 19 inclusive. Thus, according to Figures 14, 15 and 16 the locking plate lug I1 of Figures 1, 3, 4, 6 and 'l is replaced by a pin 21 which is riveted to the sliding plate the outer portion of which, in this instance, constitutes a single tongue 28 that projects into the annular groove I8 ot socket 1.

According to Figure 17, the locking plate has a screw pin 29 instead of the lug l1 of Figures 1, 3, 4, 6 and 7, or the riveted pin 21 of Figures 14, 15 and 16. In this case, also the spring I4, instead of being disposed in a separate pocket in the boss, may be coiled around the reduced inner end portion of, the sliding plate I3.

According to Figures 18 and 19, the locking plate I3 is retractable by means of a rod 3| which is pivoted or similarly connected at one end to a transverse lug or web 32 at the outer end of the boss 6 and passes freely through a hole in the sliding plate, the free end of the rod 3i projecting into the slot 26 formed in the outer face of the base.

Figure 20 illustrates a modied form of locking means which possesses the advantages of concealment from view, but which is not automatic in operation. According thereto a spindle, 33 of the control mechanism extends within a bore of the boss Ii and is provided near its inner end with. an annular groove 34 into which the inner end of a screwed pin 35 may project, the passage for this screwed pin being formed in the handlebase 3.

Returning to Figures 1 and 2, it will be noted that the handle is there shown as applied to mechanism suitable for raising and lowering window panels and comprising a clutch plate 36 fast witha pinion 3l that is free upon spindle 33 and meshes with a lquadrant gear (not shown) operatively connected to one or more arms coacting with the sliding panel. This mechanism, is, in general of well known form, but is modied in accordance with the present invention primarily by the provision of the splined socket Tin place of the usual clutch plate for co-operating with plate 36 and the usual relatively long spindle that projects a considerable distance inwardly from the inner surface of the vehicle body in order to receive a socket like member at the inner end of a conventional operating handle.

Such improvements to the control mechanism are the subject of a co-pending application Serial No. 176,361, illed Nov. 24, 1937, to which the reader is referred for amore complete description of the improvements. It is however, pointed out that in order to accommodate the innerend of spindle 33 and a surrounding inwardly projecting boss 39 of the socket 1, the outer end portion of the splined boss 6 is provided with a recess or bore 40.

An operating handle with locking means similar to the embodiment of Figures 1 to 7 is shown applied to latch control mechanism of 'a door in Figures 11 and 12. In this case the splined boss 6 of the handle projects into a splined socket 4I which may be supported by a mounting plate 42 and bracket 43 and may have an outstanding arm 44 to which a connecting rod 46 for the door latch (not shown) is attached, A spring 4l may be coiled around socket 4i and have its ends connected respectively to a lug 48 of the socket and a lug 49 of the mounting plate, in order normally to maintain the latch in a projected position.

Referring to Figure 13 the splined boss 6 of the handle is shown inserted into a splined socket 5I that is applied to a well known form of regulator or ccptrol mechanism for pivoted window panels. In #uch mechanism the worm spindle 52 usually projects into the interior of the vehicle to receive a socket at the end of the conventional operating handle. In accordance with the present invention however the worm spindle is relatively short and has attached thereto, as by means of a pin 53, the splined socket 5| which in all material respects is similar to the socket of the previous figures. With the exception that the splined boss 6 and the handle arm 2 are shown as being relatively short this embodiment is precisely similar to the other embodiments and consequently no further description is necessary.

Having now described by invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A handle assembly for a vehicle body having an inner layer of trim, comprising a handle terminating at its inner end in an enlarged relatively thin base having a at surface adapted to lie substantially flush with the inner face of said trim, said base having an integral cylindrical boss of materially less diameter adapted to project through an aperture in the trim and provided with preformed longitudinal splines and intervening grooves, a handle-driven member adapted to be mounted at the opposite face of said trim and also having preformed longitudinal splines and intervening grooves adapted to mate with the corresponding splines and grooves of said boss, the said mating splines and grooves adapted to releasabiy interflt in a locality outwardly of said trim and said handle base, and means for releasabiy locking said boss and member together.

2. A handle assembly according to claim 1, in which said locking means cooperates with said base and member at one side of said trim and is accessible for release at the opposite side.

3. A handle assembly according to claim 1, in which said driven member has a socket into which said boss siidinglyand releasabiy ts.

4. A handle assembly according to claim l, in which said driven member has a socket to receive said boss and comprises a clutch element of a window regulator and a clutch housing enclosing at least in part the splined portions of said boss and member.

5. A handle assembly for a window regulator mechanism, comprising a clutch having a housing and a driven clutch member therein provided with a socket having preformed longitudinal splines and intervening grooves, a handle having at its inner end an integral escutcheon provided with a at surface from which projects integrally a cylindrical boss provided with preformed 1ongltudinal splines fitting the grooves of said socket ata point interiorly of said clutch housing, and means for releasabiy locking said boss and member together.

6. A control mechanism of the character described, comprising a rotatable socket member constituting a driving element and positioned on the outer side of inner surfacing materialof a vehicle body, 4i. rotary handle adapted to be positioned on the inner side of said body-surfacing material, said handle having a relatively thin escutcheon-forming base having a fiat outer surface adapted to lie substantially flush with said surfacing material, a boss projecting 4outwardly from the base of said handle through an aperture in said surfacing material and adapted to enter into said socket. means on said boss and socket for causing said socket to rotate with said boss, means on the outer side of said surfacing material for locking said boss in said socket against axial removal, and means operable from the inner side of said surfacing material for releasing said locking means. c

7. A control mechanism of the character de scribed, comprising a rotatable socket mem having a recess and constituting a driving ement and positioned on the outer side of inner surfacing material of a vehicle body, a rotary handle adapted .to be positioned on the inner side of said body-surfacing material, said handle having a relatively thin escutcheon-forming base having a flat outer surface adapted to lie ,substantially ush with said surfacing material, a. boss projecting outwardly from the base of said handle through an aperture in said surfacing material and adapted to enter into said socket, means on said boss and socket for causing said socket to rotate with said boss, means carried by said boss on the outer side of said surfacing material and adapted to'engage said recess vin said socket for locking said boss in said socket against axial removal, and means operable from the inner side of said surfacing material for releasing said locking means.

8. A control mechanism of the character de# scribed, comprisinga rotatable socket member having a recess and constituting a driving element and positioned on the outer side -of inner surfacing material of a vehicle body, a rotary handle adapted to be positioned on the inner side of. said body-surfacing material, said handle having a relatively thin escutcheon-forming base having a flat outer surface adapted to lie substantially flush with said surfacing material, a boss projecting outwardly from the base of said handle through an aperture in said surface material and adapted to enter into said socket, means on said boss and socket for causing said socket to rotate with said boss, spring-pressed means carried by said boss on the outer side of said surfacing material and adapted to engage said recess in said socket for locking said boss in said socket against axial removal, and means operable from the inner side of said surfacing material for releasing said locking means.

9. A control mechanism of the character described, comprising a rotatable socket member constituting a driving element and .positioned on the outer side of inner surfacing material of a vehicle body, a rotary handle adapted to be positioned on the inner side of said body-surfacing material, said handle having a relatively thin escutcheon-forming base having a flat outer surface adapted to lie substantially flush with said surfacing material, a boss projecting outwardly from the base of said handle through an aperture in said surfacing material and adapted to enter into said socket, means on said boss and socket for causing said socket to rotate with said boss, a spring-pressed detent member radially displaceable in theportion of said boss adapted to enter said socket, said socket aving an annular groove formed therein to receive said detent for locking said boss in said socket against radial displacement, and means accessible from the inner side of saidsurfacing material for displacing said detent from the groove in the socket to permit removal of the boss from the socket.

10. A control mechanism of the character described, comprising a rotatable socket member constituting a driving element and positioned on the outer side of inner surfacing material of a vehicle body, a rotary handle adapted to be positioned on the inner side of said body-surfacing material, said handle having a relatively thin escutcheon-forming base having a flat outer surface adapted to lie substantially flush with said surfacing material, a--boss projecting outwardly from the base of said'h'andle through an aperture in said surfacing material and adapted to enter into said socket, means on said boss and socket for causing 'said socket to rotate with said boss, a spring-pressed detent member radially displaceable in the .portion of said boss adapted to enter said socket, said socket having an annular groove formed therein to receive said detent for locking said boss in said socket against radial displacement, and means accessible from the inner side of said surfacing material for displacing said detent from the groove in thesocket to permit removal of the boss from the socket, said detent member and the mouth of said socket being chamferredto effect displacement of the detent upon the axial insertion of said boss into the socket.

11. A control mechanism of the character described, comprising a rotatable socket member constituting a driving element and positioned on the outer side of inner surfacing material of a vehicle body, a rotary handle adapted to be positioned on the inner side of said body-surfacing material, said handle having a relatively thin escutcheon-forming base having a ilat outer surface adapted to lie substantially flush with said surfacing material, a boss projecting outwardly from the base of said handle through an aperture in said surfacing material and adapted to enter into said socket, means on said boss and socket for causing said socket to rotate with said boss, means on the outer side of said surfacing material for locking said boss in saidsocket against axial removal, and means extending inwardly from said locking means to the.inner side of said surfacing material to permit release operation of the locking means from the inner side of said surfacing material. r

12. A control mechanism of the character described, comprising a rotatable socket member constituting a driving element and positioned on the outer side of inner surfacing material of a vehicle body, a rotary handle adapted to be positioned on the inner side of said bodysurfacing material, said handle having a relatively thin escutcheon-forming base having a at outer surface adapted to lie substantially flush with said surfacing material, a boss projecting outwardly from the base of said handle through an aperture in said surfacing material and adapted to enter into said socket, meanson said boss and socket for causing said socket to rotate lwith said boss, a spring-pressed detent member radially displaceable in the portion of said boss adapted to enter said socket, said socket having an annular groove formed therein to receive said detent for locking said boss in said vsocket against radial displacement, and means extending inwardly from said detent member to the inner side ofthe surfacing material to permit actuation of said detent from the inner side of said surfacing material.

13. A control mechanism of the character described, comprising a rotatable socket member constituting a driving element and positioned on the outer side of inner surfacing material of a vehicle body, a rotary handle adapted to be positioned on the inner side of said bodysurfacing material, said handle'having a relatively thin escutcheon-forming base having a fiat outer surface adapted to lie substantially flush with said surfacing material, a boss projecting outwardly from the base of said handle through an aperture in said surfacing material and adapted to enter into said socket, means on said boss and socket for causing said socket to rotate with said boss, a spring-pressed detent member radially displaceable in the portion of said boss adapted to enter said socket, said socket having .an annular groove formed therein to receive said detent for locking said boss in said socketagainst radial displacement, and means extending inwardly from said detent member to the inner side of the surfacing material to permit actuation of said detent from the inner side of said surfacing material, the base of -said handle having a port providing access to said detent extension.

14. An operator handle of the character de'- scribed, terminating at its inner end in an enlarged relatively thin base having a at side, an integral cylindrical boss of materially less diameter than the base, extending axially from the flat side of said base, for cooperating with a driven member, .a locking element carried by said boss for locking the boss to said driven member, and a concealed groove in said base to provide access to said locking element.

15. An operator handle of the character described, terminating at its inner end in an enlarged relatively thin base having a ilat side, an

integral cylindrical boss of materially less diameter than the base, extending axially fromv the at side of said base, for cooperating with a driven member. said basehaving a concealed groove extending from the periphery thereof toward the axis thereof, a locking element carried by the boss for locking the boss to said driven member, and an actuating tongue on said locldng element projecting into said groove to enable said locking element to be actuated through said groove from the exterior of said base. l a

16. An operator handle of the character described, terminating at its inner end in an enlarged relatively thin base having a tlat side, an integral cylindrical boss of materially less diameter than the base, extending axially from the ilat side of said base, for cooperating with a driven member, said base having an open slot in the at face of the base extending radially from the periphery thereof to said boss, a locking element carried by said boss for locking the boss to said driven member, and an actuating tongue on said locking element protecting into said slot to enable said locking element to Ybe actuated by inserting an implement into said slot from the outer periphery of said base.

ROY WILLIAM NEWTON. 

